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Appropriations panel advances bill implementing governor’s general government budget, members note technical changes
Summary
The Appropriations Committee voted to move House Bill 5030, the governor’s general government budget implementation bill, after committee aides outlined technical edits shifting agency functions and conforming statutory language; one member opposed a provision moving Office of Health Strategies functions to OPM.
The Appropriations Committee on April 1 advanced House Bill 5030, the chamber’s vehicle for implementing the governor’s budget recommendations for general government.
Chair introduced the measure (LCO 3637) and described a series of technical changes, including restoring sections 7 and 8 to retain the education ombudsman, moving certain functions from the Department of Social Services to the Office of the Healthcare Advocate (section 30), and transferring some duties from DSS to the Department of Public Health (section 80). The bill also removes language authorizing the controller to estimate fringe benefit costs for office personnel (section 83) and shifts OS functions to the Office of Policy and Management (section 84).
Representative Walker moved the bill and Representative Nolan seconded the motion for committee action. During discussion Representative Johnson said she would vote no on the package "primarily because of section 84 removing the office of health's strategy to OPM," adding that separating data from oversight is "problematic" without more information. The administrator proceeded to call the roll and record members’ votes; the committee left votes open so members could register tardy votes.
Why it matters: HB 5030 implements multiple technical and programmatic changes to how state responsibilities are distributed among agencies and how certain benefits and oversight functions are administered. Even technical edits can shift where authority and data oversight reside, which drew at least one firm objection in committee.
What’s next: The committee recorded its votes and left them open pending final confirmation; administrators said votes would remain open until 3 p.m., and the committee planned to adjourn thereafter unless additional floor referrals arrived.
Quotes: "It removes previous sections seven and 8 that reversed ... the education ombudsman," the sponsor said in summarizing the vehicle’s technical edits. Representative Johnson said, "I am a no vote on this primarily because of section 84... I don't have the information about what they're going to do."
